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GOING PLACES Ajanta caves Ajanta and Ellora Caves Sites worth seeing before departing India We’ve known about them for a ‘donkey’s age,’ but hadn’t taken the initiative to visit the Ajanta and Ellora Caves until just recently. How were they In a word: Splendid! By William Hawke Linda (my better half) and I took a weekend minivacation to Aurangabad this winter. Well, Aurangabad was where we slept, but we didn’t see much of that city. The purpose of the excursion was to visit the Ajanta and Ellora Caves located at distances of 106 km and 30 km from the city respectively. Most good hotels in the city offer day trips to each of the cave sites. We signed on with one and spent one day at each of these magnifi cent World Heritage Sites. Ajanta: The 3-hour drive to the Ajanta Caves provided an opportunity to observe the scenery and human activity of rural Maharastra. The caves date back to the second century BC and contain masterpieces of painting and sculpture – mostly Buddhist religious art. The caves are situated in a rugged horseshoe-shaped ravine with the stream running through it. The site consists of 29 monastic halls of residence and stupa monument halls cut into the side of a steep escarpment. The Ajanta Caves are numbered 1 to 29, with number 1 being the fi rst after entering the complex. Cave number 1 contains the painting of the Buddha that one normally sees on posters and pamphlets depicting Ajanta. Actually, the Buddha fi gure is about the only thing that’s left of the painting, which must have been immaculate in its day. While they are still worth seeing, other paintings throughout the complex are in approximately the same shape; a shame really, but time does take its toll. Perhaps the
serene park down by the edge of the stream at the foot of the gorge. Ellora: The Ellora caves, unlike Ajanta, were never lost to oblivion, due to their close proximity to trade routes. They consist of 34 Buddhist, Hindu and Jain cave temples and monasteries cut out of the face of the Chanaandri Hills, the most beautiful of which are similar to the monolithic rock-hewn churches of Lalibala in Ethiopia. Built between the 5th and 8th centuries the whole complex demonstrates the religious harmony prevalent during this period of Indian history. Cave number 16, the Kailasanatha Temple, is the centerpiece of Ellora. Touted as the ‘world’s largest monolithic sculpture,’ it was hewn from the rock by 7000 labourers over a 150 year period. This gigantic structure – designed to recall Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva – appears to be a freestanding, multi-storied temple complex, but actually, it was carved out of one single rock, and covers an area estimated to be double the size of Parthenon in Athens. Most of the remaining caves at Ellora are Shiva-Parvati seated on mount Kailash, while Ravana tries to lift it GOING PLACES in a crescent fronting the escarpment and contain breathtaking sculptures. Spectacular indeed. If you are a foreigner and visiting Ajanta or Ellora on a statutory holiday or weekend, don’t be surprised if you are asked to pose for photos with groups of Indian school children. An added bonus! Buddha sculpture in one of the Ellora caves A Worthwhile Stop If time permits, a stop in the town of Khuldabad on the way back from Ellora is worthwhile. Here one can encounter the tomb of Emperor Aurangzeb in the courtyard of Alamgir Dargah. The great Mughal Emperor wrote the following words in his will: “No marble sheets should shield me from the sky as I lie there (at) one with the earth.” Just as he desired, only a portion of his tomb – the place of the cenotaph – is exposed to the sky. We recommend the Ajanta and Ellora Caves, with a stop at Khuldabad to the history buffs amongst our readership. GETTING THERE Aurangabad is the nearest airport to both Ajanta and Ellora. Frequent flights are available from New Delhi and Mumbai. Jalgaon (58 km) is the nearest railhead to Ajanta. Hotels are available near Ajanta. It is recommended that visitors to Ellora lodge in Aurangabad. Further info: Visit Maharastra Tourism at www. maharashtratourism.gov.in
Page 3 and 4: Vol. II • Issue 4 • November 20
Page 5 and 6: T E N T Delhi the City of Monuments
Page 7 and 8: Though relocation agencies assist e
Page 9: Apartment at Indirapuram, Ghaziabad
Page 12 and 13: ENTERPRISE but in 1972, Deborah’s
Page 14: ENTERPRISE COLOURS The Art of Mehen
Page 17 and 18: Singh. When Lisa and Dan Leonard ca
Page 19: law, education, IT, health educatio
Page 22 and 23: FESTIVE WATCH Politicians present a
Page 24 and 25: MELTING POT A Delicacy from the Sou
Page 26 and 27: HERITAGE WALK Red Fort inside view
Page 28 and 29: HERITAGE WALK Safdarjung’s Tomb S
Page 30 and 31: INDIAN JOURNEY The Great Indian Vib
Page 33 and 34: WHAT’S IN Oh! Calcutta By Surita
Page 35 and 36: WHAT’S IN Dreaming Vishnus Dreami
Page 37 and 38: O SON OF MAN! I loved thy creation,
Page 39: For the trailing spouse, getting in
Page 43 and 44: ‘Unprincess!’ has three stories
Page 45 and 46: Musical Instruments In India music
Page 47 and 48: Picture Puzzle Use the picture clue
Page 51 and 52: IN PICTURES The Expat Cup Qutub Gol
Page 53: IN PICTURES Glimpses of the Santa F
Page 56: CULTURAL CURRY A taboo throughout t
Page 60: Group of Delhi Expats camel excursi

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